Hypericum plant named ‘Esm Ora’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hypericum  plant named ‘Esm Ora’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; uniform and high density of fruits; orange red-colored fruits; and tolerant to wind and rain.

Botanical designation: Hypericum androsaemum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Esm Ora’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHypericum, botanically known as Hypericum androsaemum and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Esm Ora’.

The new Hypericum is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new pot-type Hypericum cultivars withnumerous attractive fruits.

The new Hypericum originated from a cross-pollination in February, 2000in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador of a proprietary selection ofHypericum androsaemum identified as code designation Line 59, notpatented, as the female, or seed parent with proprietary selection ofHypericum androsaemum identified as code designation Line 56, notpatented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Hypericum wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings in ElQuinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, since August, 2000, has shown that theunique features of this new Hypericum are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Esm Ora have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Esm Ora’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Esm Ora’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofHypericum:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniform plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit; uniform and high density        of fruits.    -   4. Orange red-colored fruits.    -   5. Tolerant to wind and rain.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the female parentselection primarily in plant height as plants of the new Hypericum areshorter than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum are shorter than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Fruits of plants of the new Hypericum have broader fruits        than fruits of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Hypericum can be compared to plants of the cultivarBosapin, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,993. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted by the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador,plants of the new Hypericum differed from plants of the cultivar Bosapinin the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum were shorter and had shorter        internodes than plants of the cultivar Bosapin.    -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum flowered earlier and more freely        than plants of the cultivar Bosapin.    -   3. Plants of the new Hypericum had smaller leaves and fruits        than plants of the cultivar Bosapin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Hypericum. The photograph comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical stem of ‘Esm Ora’ with mature fruits.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photograph and following description were grown underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions inan outdoor nursery in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador for about 18months. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 12° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to averaged12° C. and light levels ranged from 1,000 to 1,150 foot-candles.

-   Botanical classification: Hypericum androsaemum cultivar Esm Ora.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum            androsaemum identified as code designation Line 59, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum            androsaemum identified as code designation Line 56, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About seven to ten days at 22° C. to            30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four to five            weeks at 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; color, 175A.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Compact, upright and uniform plant habit. Freely            branching with about eleven flowering stems developing per            plant per year; dense and bushy plant form; vigorous growth            habit. Typically grown as a pot-type Hypericum.        -   Plant height.—About 56 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 34 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 52 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm. Internode length: About 3.4 cm. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 145B overlain with            165B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 5 cm.        -   Width.—About 3 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse to retuse.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 139A.            Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 146B. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, 147C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Bright yellow-colored single            flowers arranged in terminal compound umbels; freely            flowering with about twelve flowers per umbel. Flowers not            persistent. Flowers face mostly upright.        -   Fragrance.—Moderate.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round in Ecuador.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about three to four days on            the plant.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Shape: Globose. Color: 15A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 11 cm. Diameter: About 13            cm.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.5 cm. Depth (height): About 1.5            cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl.            Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Oval. Apex:            Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth; papery. Aspect: Incurved;            concave. Color: When opening, upper surface: 14A. When            opening, lower surface: 13B. Fully opened, upper surface:            14B; color becoming lighter than 14A with development. Fully            opened, lower surface: 14B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl; three            larger than the other two. Length: About 8 mm to 10 mm.            Width: About 5 mm to 8 mm. Shape: Ovate to elliptic. Apex:            Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surface: Glabrous, smooth. Aspect: Recurved. Color:            When opening, upper surface: Close to 144A. When opening,            lower surface: Close to 146C. Fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 143A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter:            About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 143C overlain            with 175A.        -   Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter:            About 2 mm. Aspect: About 58° from the stem axis. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 166B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 85.            Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther            color: Close to 22A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:            Close to N163C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Single pistil            with three stigmas. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Stigma            shape: Circular. Stigma color: Close to 46A. Style length:            About 6 mm. Style color: Close to 154C. Ovary color: Close            to 1B.        -   Fruits.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape:            Broadly ovate. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            34A to 34B; towards the base, N144D.        -   Seeds.—Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.03 mm. Color:            Close to 200C.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hypericum have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hypericum.-   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hypericum have been    observed to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about    0° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Hypericum plant named ‘Esm Ora’ as illustrated anddescribed.